Trapped by His Touch

Old Acquaintance

Ava: “…”

Bro, I’m trying to save your ass here!

Noah watched their little exchange, his face turning blacker.

He shot Ava a cold look and said, “Nice!”

Then he turned and walked off, still expressionless.

“President Campbell, what’s that mean?” Richard asked, clueless.

Ava, though, was groaning inside.

Richard’s dumbass move was probably gonna land on her to deal with.

With that thought, Ava plopped back into her seat, looking like life wasn’t worth living.

“Ava, you still haven’t said if you’ll say yes to me,” Richard pressed, stubborn as hell.

Ava was about to answer when—

Suddenly, a chorus of beeps went off in the office—everyone’s phones lit up.

They all checked.

In the company group chat, where President Campbell, who’d been MIA for a thousand years, barely ever showed up, had just posted.

One short line:

“Starting today, no dating between employees!”

“What? No dating?”

“Are you f*****g kidding me?”

The staff erupted in complaints.

Richard just stood there, dumbfounded.

He had a sinking feeling this new rule had everything to do with him…

But nah, it couldn’t be… he hadn’t done anything that bad, right?

Maybe it was just about work focus?

Richard sulked, but Ava now had a perfect excuse. She smiled at him. “Sorry, I can’t say yes. Company rules—no dating between employees.”

That reason was airtight—Ava said it with total conviction.

Richard: “…”

With Richard sorted, Ava breathed a sigh of relief and finally had the headspace to work on her design drafts.

As an interior designer, she’d dealt with all kinds of tough clients.

But this one? This one was a f*****g nightmare.

The client was about to get married and had insisted Ava design their new place from the start.

Ava had asked about their needs, churned out draft after draft, only for every single one to get shot down.

Today was her tenth revision.

“Ava, this client of yours is a real pain in the ass, huh?” a coworker leaned over and said.

Ava sighed. “What can I do? Client f***s me over a thousand times, I still treat ‘em like my first love.”

Muttering that, Ava resigned herself to tweaking the design.

Following the client’s earlier feedback, she made some adjustments and sent the draft off before clocking out.

She packed up her stuff, ready to head home.

Then her email pinged.

She opened it.

It was that client.

“No good. Redo it.”

Ava frowned.

She’d sent the design ten seconds ago!

Ten seconds, and the client already decided it needed a redo?

Ava started getting pissed.

Sure, revisions were normal.

She was happy to refine her work based on client input.

But ten f*****g seconds? The client couldn’t have even skimmed it before demanding a redo.

This was straight-up bullshit.

Ava wasn’t made of clay—she had a temper too.

She was about to email back, telling the client to find someone else, when—

Another email popped up.

“Forget it, your comprehension’s too f*****g limited. Meet me at 6 at the Encounter Café near your office—let’s talk face-to-face!”

Ava thought it over and replied, “Okay.” If the client was offering, she’d meet once.

It was half an hour till 6.

Ava tidied up and headed downstairs.

“Ava.” Richard was waiting at the company entrance, like he’d been there on purpose.

“Hm?” Ava looked at him, confused. Hadn’t she been clear enough?

Richard gritted his teeth, dead serious. “Ava, I’ve thought it over. I really like you! Victory’s got the best pay in the industry, hands down, but if you’ll be with me, I’ll quit right now!”

Ava was floored.

She’d figured the no-dating rule would kill Richard’s hopes.

She hadn’t expected him to be ready to ditch his job just to keep chasing her.

That kind of seriousness deserved a serious response.

Ava considered it and said, “Richard, I’m not lying. I really do have a husband.”

Her expression was dead-on, and Richard froze. “You… you’re for real?”

“For real,” Ava said earnestly. “I’ve been married a year.”

Richard clenched his jaw. “Then… do you love him?”

“Love?” Ava paused, then smiled. “That word’s too fancy. But I’m happy with my life right now, and I don’t want to change it.”

Richard’s eyes dimmed, and after a long pause, he asked, “If… if you weren’t married, would you consider me?”

He looked at her, hopeful.

Ava smiled. “You’re great—I’d definitely consider you.”

Her answer was genuine, and Richard felt a bit better.

“Ava, I…” Richard started to say more.

Suddenly, a faint, cold snort cut through.

Then President Campbell walked past them, face blank as ever.

Ava: “…”

This guy was f*****g everywhere!

She suddenly felt like she wouldn’t survive tomorrow!

Feeling a little choked up, she said bye to Richard and got a call from Noah.

His voice was icy. “A thousand meters ahead—I’m parked on the side waiting for you.”

Waiting for me?

Ava glanced ahead and sure enough spotted Noah’s ride in the distance.

“Not coming? Or you planning to keep chatting with your little admirer? Ava, don’t forget you’re a married woman!” Noah’s tone edged with anger.

Ava totally got why he was mad.

He might not like her, but she was still his wife. Even if just for a guy’s pride, he wouldn’t want her getting cozy with another man.

Ava said quick, “I didn’t forget. I already cleared it up with Richard.”

President Campbell snorted, hard to tell if he was pleased or pissed.

“But…” Ava braced herself. “I’ve got a client meeting today at the Encounter Café nearby. I can’t head back with you right now!”

“…You’re turning me down?”

Ava could practically hear President Campbell grinding his teeth over the line.

She flashed a pleading smile. “No, no! But I already promised the client…”

There was a long silence, then Noah said coldly…

“Ava, last chance. You getting in my car or not?”

Ava said, “Noah, I really have a client…”

*Click.*

Noah hung up.

Then Ava watched that black Maybach peel out and disappear.

Ava gave a bitter laugh—she’d really pissed Noah off today…

But… but she was innocent here!

She didn’t ask Richard to confess, and she really did have a client meeting.

“Petty bastard,” Ava muttered, found the Encounter Café, and sat down to wait.

The Maybach tore down the road.

Suddenly, it screeched to a stop on the side.

A flash of rage sparked in Noah’s eyes.

This damn woman.

So many women begged to get in his car, and he wouldn’t give them a glance.

Now, he’d offered her a ride, and she had the guts to say no?

Heh, meeting a client!

Should he be proud of his employee’s dedication?

Whatever—Ava could do what she wanted! What the f**k did it have to do with him?

One call, and he could have any woman he wanted.

Noah dialed, face blank. “Where you at? I’ll pick you up.”

“President Campbell?” The voice on the other end was over-the-moon. “How’d you think to come get me?”

“Not happy?”

“No, no—I’m so happy I could pass out! President Campbell, I’m at…”

Noah hung up, raised an eyebrow.

Listen to that—that’s the right reaction to him calling.

Ava, you think you’re irreplaceable? Without you, I’m just freer.

Noah floored it and sped off.

At the Encounter Café.

Ava kept checking her watch.

They’d agreed on 6, but it was 6:30, and no client in sight.

Just as she was about to email to double-check, a soft, girly voice piped up. “Miss Brooks, kept you waiting, huh?”

Ava looked up, and her eyes instantly locked on the man next to the woman, disbelief flashing through her.

It was him!

How could it be him!

“Miss Brooks, staring at my fiancé like that’s not exactly polite,” the woman giggled, then tilted her head to coo at the man. “Honey, you’re too charming—Miss Designer’s totally smitten!”

The man gave her a doting smile. “Stop it.”

Then he turned to Ava. “Miss Brooks, Harper’s a bit playful—don’t mind her.”

Gentle words, distant tone.

That doting, that patience—it used to be hers. Now it all belonged to another woman.

This man was Ethan.

The guy she’d once sworn forever with.

Under the table, Ava’s hands clenched tight.

Not just Ethan—Harper Evans was an old face too.

Harper had always liked Ethan. Back when Ava was with him, Harper, with her rich family, had pulled all kinds of s**t to mess with her.

Back then, Ethan always took her side without hesitation, protecting her, cherishing her.

But now, he looked at her like a stranger, while his eyes for Harper were soft and warm.

The pain hit her hard, but Ava forced a smile. “No worries. Miss Evans… she’s cute.”

“See? Miss Brooks says I’m cute. Only you, you big lug, keep picking on me,” Harper whined at Ethan.

Ethan just smiled at her.

That smile—so familiar, yet so foreign.

Ava felt her heart twist in agony.

“Miss Brooks, here’s the deal. Ethan and I are getting married, and this design you’re doing—it’s for our new place. You know, every girl wants a perfect wedding, and the house has to be f*****g flawless. That’s why I keep making you redo it. I’m not trying to screw with you, I just…” Harper started rambling.

Ava barely heard a word, her eyes stuck on Ethan, a flood of emotions crashing up from her chest.

He looked… a little thinner.

But he seemed in good spirits.

Guess he’d recovered well.

“Miss Brooks,” Ethan frowned slightly. “Is there something on my face?”

“No,” Ava dropped her head in a panic.

Ethan turned to Harper. “Harper, should we switch designers?”

Harper laughed, her voice all sweet. “Nah, Miss Brooks is damn good at her job—I want her. Honey, step out for a sec. I wanna chat with Miss Brooks alone.”

“Sure,” Ethan got up, shooting Ava a warning look before he left.

In that moment, Ava couldn’t even name what she felt.

She knew Ethan had forgotten her completely, but until she saw him, she’d clung to a tiny shred of hope.

Now, the harsh truth left no room to run.

In Ethan’s heart, she really didn’t leave a f*****g trace.

“Miss Brooks, hurts, doesn’t it?” A mocking voice cut through.

Ava looked at Harper.

Gone was the innocent smile she’d worn for Ethan—now she bared her fangs.

“You… you did this on purpose. You picked me to design your new place, asked me to meet, brought Ethan along…” Ava gritted her teeth.

Harper laughed, malice gleaming in her eyes. “Of course I f*****g did it on purpose! Ava! Back when Ethan doted on you, you strutted around like you owned the world. But guess what? One car crash, and Ethan forgot all about you—wiped you clean out. Tsk tsk tsk, tell me, he remembers everyone else, everything else—why’d he forget you? Someone you can forget that easy probably wasn’t worth s**t to begin with.”

Someone you can forget that easy probably wasn’t worth s**t…

Ava’s heart throbbed dully. She wanted to argue, but not a damn word came out.

Because Harper was right.

If she wasn’t totally unimportant, why’d he forget her and her alone…

Seeing Ava’s pain, Harper’s eyes flashed with glee. “When he got in that crash, couldn’t even move in bed, it was me—I took care of him, front to back. Where the hell were you then? So Ava, what I’ve got now? I earned it.”

Where… was she?

Ava’s mind went hazy.

When Ethan had his accident, she’d rushed to see him, desperate.

But Ethan’s parents had blocked her at the door.

Ava still remembered Mrs. Foster’s venomous words.

“A woman like you, being with our Ethan—you’re just after the Foster family money, aren’t you? I’m telling you, my son’s forgotten you now. Get the hell out!”